Looking at changing my car in February, quite like the look of the Ford Kuga – both old shape and new shape

Does anyone have either model, and what do you think of it? Reliability?

Reliability will be like all Fords, generally very good. With there being so many of them around there will be some horror stories. Badge snobs will look down on you and try to justify there more expensive purchase but will struggle.

I think the Kuga is based on the Focus chassis which begs the question why buy a Kuga over a Focus? What advantage does being 6 inches higher off the ground have? More drawbacks than advantages in my mind.

I used to have one
Diesel 2wd with all options. Did 100k miles approx without issue despite being abused for the duration.

Was actually better than I had expected
Great handling and of course the nice feature of sitting a bit higher.
Still got a set of 19″ alloys at home for it.

It’s all about the looks, mainly, but as well as being 6″ taller than the Focus, the cabin should be a bit more spacious.

I struggle to get my drums into my Citroen C4 AND carry any passengers so I imagine the Focus wouldn’t be much better.

I’ve had estate cars before, just fancy something different this time

Marge – chain or belt cam? If cambelt when does it need changing?

I have the older/original ’09 one, in 2.0 haldex 4wd

Its been 100% reliable, carted 3 then later 4 of us around everywhere and the 2wd/4wd system is ace. No thought, just drive off in the snow. They don’t always get the advertised MPG. Recently I did a bike loaded trip to Afan and cruised at 70, and got 48mpg there an back. Its mainly used as a kiddie carrier in N London and around town it averages about 32mpg. It has slightly smaller boot than others, does have lots of cubby holes but none of the clever moving seats, false floors, but is cavernous with the rear seats down which do go flat.

Its slightly noiser than its rivals, not as well thought out as current rivals such as the Quashqi, and ours is quickly looking low grade inside (we got the base zetec model), but is does everything we need. It does have good and bad quirks – clever wipers, automatic bits & pieces which were “premium” in others in ’09 but its been caught up. It drives a bit like a car and goes well in most situations, but its not quick. It does manage to feel a bit “awkward” if you go over a speed hump diagonally, but thats its box-shape.

Its a very handy, easy car to have, but not one I’d get excited about which is a quandary I’m in becuase as of October this becomes my car for commute / biking purposes, while Mrs K gets a new one. Therefore only plus side I don’t mind getting it scratched an dirty with bike kit, and it’ll me out of a wet field in Gorrickford Forest racing, but I’d like to be wrapped in leather-sat-nav surroundings for work/m-way.

Sorry I rambled a bit…

Thanks folks

New shape
2wd 2litre diesel
Titanium x sport

Don’t do it, I average 36-42mpg no matter how conservatively I drive, should be high 40’s to mid 50’s according to official,figures
Typically on a long motorway run sticking at or below 70mph (averaging 55 over the 300 odd miles) it does about 37mpg, it’s a thirsty bugger, and I’ve done 10,000 miles now since May so plenty of ‘running in time’ and it’s not getting any better
That’s a diesel!!!

Solely on this basis I wouldn’t recommend one, everything else is spot on
Look at a Quashqui or a Hyundai ix35 (previous car was a Hyundai i30, I much preferred it and it’s still going strong despite the wife abusing it at 98,000 miles)

There’s something wrong there Iain. I got more with mine loaded with bike kit, associated tools and personal gear for a long weekend – and mines the old less economical one. Have you had it looked at?

I looked at the kuga (new shape) and focus for work. The roof might be higher but so is the floor pan. Bottom line, focus had more space. If you need more than that, there’s also the estate option.

Kryton the internet is awash with people having the same experiences but I will ask them to look at it when it goes in for its first service

I am aware that very few cars achieve the official fuel consumption so that’s not a major stumbling block for me.
i just like the look of both versions, interested to hear real world experiences

And i have no idea why my phone is posting as JohnH when my ipad and desktop post as john_drummer. Technology eh?

That’s better

Don’t know why people believe car company “official figures” 🙄

I was in the “trade” 40 odd yrs ago and it was the same then!!….. In perfect conditions they are achievable as I proved to a customer once upon a time 😉

I have a Kia Sorento for caravan towing duties. If I drive “properly” I can achieve near enough the quoted figures but it drives me nuts going so slow… 🙄

Have no idea what the quoted numbers should be but I was getting in the region of 45mpg from my 2wd version during regular driving.
Would drop significantly though when pushed hard.

In comparison to Qashqai steering feel & handling are massively better

Estate Focus does indeed have more space but it was never a problem for me

45 is pretty good, official is 47 iirc

I don’t believe the official figures Trekster, but I would expect it to be closer than being around 25mpg down
(Quoted combined is 60.1, urban 52.3 and extra urban 65.7)

Modern Diesel engines should be getting better than 36mpg

My sister had one of the early ones, Diesel 4wd. Never got close to expected mpg. Ford looked at it a bunch of times, but it never improved. No good for her on her Teesside-Plymouth commute so it went back.

Old shape Kuga is virtually identical inside to the Cmax, I know as we have the Cmax and wifeys friend has the Kuga, main difference is different Style of rear seat and door cards and thats about it.
Boot may or may not be bigger as its slightly differently shaped.

As Ian1775 says a guy at work had one and he was 10+mpg worse off than official figures. I know most manufacturers tell porkies but you would realistically expect no more than about 10% away from official figures. (incidentally he was 30 miles on motorway each way to work) if that helps.

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg/ford

Had one as a hire car achieved the much smaller on the inside trick very well.
Not that impressed essentially just a focus with bodywork

Better half had one – she didn’t do big mileage so we had problems with catalytic converter.

If your doing very few miles and short journeys go petroll. When we part ex it in she was only getting 25mpg from the diesel.

Other than that it was ok …..she had a 2.0 140bhp 4×4.

Had a 58 plate 2 litre 4 wheel drive.

Drive shaft went after about 18 months, DPF went after about 3 years. Was about a grand to sort as just out of warranty.

Never got much more than about 35 mpg.

Really comfortable and if we hadn’t needed more room once we got the dog, we’d probably still have it.

Wife fancied one, so took it for a test drive. She took it steady and myself, the salesman and my son sat in the back, we all started going a bit grey. Wasn’t that great. Wife liked driving it. Even the salesman said it was the last time he would sit in the back !! It was the last of the old shape, so don’t know if they adjusted anything on the facelift, which I doubt. We ended up with a Volvo XC60, which is also Haldex 4wd and may share many bits between them, from the Ford Volvo links, but rides so much better.

Ha ha. That was a rumour spread at launch time – that riding in the back of the original shape made you seasick. Never happens to anyone I ours, and e only time one of the kids vomited was during a contracted stomach virus.

Mind you my son has incredible balance, maybe that’s why.

Thought of getting one but decided the C-Max was a better option. Ended up getting a Roomster.

Hopefully Picking up a Kuga on Thursday.
2011 2.0TDCi 163 Titanium AWD with 34k. In black.
Official mpg is 47.1, if I get 41 I’ll be happy

I have a Mk1 Kuga lovely car to drive I get on average about 42 mpg

That would do for me.

Had a Saab 9-3 1.9TD wagon and before that a BMW 320d Touring. Averaged 41 in both of those vs claimed average of 48 so hopefully the Kuga will come in about the same

Most of us in the workshop prefer the old Kuga , not too many problems other than bloody DPF or the odd 4wd malfunction.
I would consider looking at a Focus 1.0 ecoboost estate , similar mpg and lots of room in the back

not considered anything like a Focus or the standard hatchback style. Had estate cars, fancy something different this time. Not sure I could afford a new Focus estate even if I wanted to.
I know the Mk1 Kuga is about the same size on the inside as a Focus hatch but I like the way it looks. and drives

I can get my drums into a Citroen C4 and the cabin of the Kuga is definitely bigger than that; the boot is about the same size so I know I’ll get my two bags of hardware in there. The problem will be, can I get any guitars and a smallish combo amp in as well, and still carry a passenger. The combo amp (65W 1×12) should fit in the nearside rear passenger footwell, but the front seat passenger might have to shuffle forward a bit.
We’ll soon see I guess 🙂

2.0 petrol 4wd Trend owner here from 2014. Just the wife, me and a four year old and it’s big enough for us, but it’s certainly not huge inside. That said, I’m surprised people say it’s smaller than a Focus, must be a different Focus to the one I last went in. As said before, fuel consumption is awful – I get less than 30 mpg average. Maybe low 30s on a slow steady run. Have had two issues, both fixed under warranty: battery wouldn’t hold charge and cv boot cover had to be replaced. Both quite annoying on a car with less than 6000km but fixed at no cost. Other than that I like it. Recently took it out in the dunes here in WA and it surprised everyone by how nimble it was. Relatively light and quite pokey. Also spend quite a lot of time in it on gravel tracks and its fine there, but to be honest, all cars would be. Trim level is good at Trend level, but I am too lazy to figure out all the buttons and I would say the standard stereo isn’t great.

I am happy enough with mine, but am fairly ambivalent as to whether I would recommend one. Have you tried an XTrail? I’d say the qashqai or ix35 are a size smaller.

WA – Western Australia? or Washington USA? is Trend the local market name for what we in UK know as a Kuga?

Mk1 Kuga 2008-2013

Mk2 Kuga 2013 to date

I think the mark 2 Kuga is known as the Escape in the US but I could be wrong. I do like the looks of the Mk2, and it is definitely bigger on the inside than my C4, but can’t find any in my price range at the moment. When I come to change in 3 years time, that problem should have gone away

anyway – ix35 is very much a similar beast, and earlier ones are around the right price point. In the end it came down to the looks of the car and the Kuga just shaded it for me.
I’m not a fan of the looks of the Mk1 Qashqai & can’t (i.e don’t want to) afford a Mk2 just yet, nice as it is. Same with the X-Trail really

Hopefully Picking up a Kuga on Thursday

when I said “hopefully” I meant “assuming the finance application is approved” 🙂
It does appear to have been approved, so now it’s more
“Picking up a Kuga on Thursday”

I’d appreciate your opinion when you get it. It’s nearly new company car time and I’ve currently got a 190BHP Auto Freelander. It’s been discontinued and the replacement Discovery Sport is a bit salty pricewise. An Evoque is a possibility, but it doesn’t quite fit with the company ‘image’.

@failedengineer – I’ve already had the test drive, very nice, very smooth and very fast (well, compared to a petrol Citroen C4), but if it’s new company car time, you’d be looking at the Mk2 version, where I’m buying a 3.5 year old Mk1…

The Mk2 is available in 4WD and 2WD, 1.5 turbo petrol, 2.0 turbo diesel. the base (Zetec) trim level starts at around £20k, but the Titanium is much nicer inside, and IIRC only a couple of £k more.
To get the roof bars you need to spec the Appearance Pack, which also brings privacy glass in the rear.

according to Honest John, Auto Express & What Car, the auto box on the Mk2 Kuga is dreadful. The longest I’ve driven an automatic for is 2 weeks, in Canada, 5 years ago, so I reckon I’ll be fine with a manual gearbox 😉

When I was buying my car last week (I know! I didn’t ask STW permission! What is WRONG with me??!) a bloke came walking in with his little dog. He’d bought a Kuga from the dealer a week ago and it’s the 5th time he couldn’t get it started 😆 Left the Kuga stranded in the local supermarket car park. Apparently the start up procedure is a little complicated – either that or he’d bought a duff.

I did read something like that on the Honest John review page

Someone at work had a black one, new model. Good looking car.

WA – Western Australia. Got the Mk 2 in black. Trend is the middle trim level. Looks great but is always dirty. I used to have a black car and swore I would never get another one, oops.

Mine is currently blowing sand out of the vents after I filled the cabin with sand when stuck. If I figure how to put photos on here (I don’t have them hosted anywhere) you’ll see what a Kuga can and can’t do in the sand.